New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-23
to have been q passenger the City OF Montreal.
CONTROLLER DURHAM'S ACCOUNTS.
HE ADMITS HAVING PAID THREE DRAFTS THAT HAD
BEEN ALREADY PAIn

HE ADMITS HAVING PAID THREE DRAFTS THAT HAD
BEEN ALREADY PAIn
WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (Speeidp.-Controller Durham
was pleasant but the best OF humor to-day when
THE TRIBUNE correspondent called his attention to the
statements about his payments account Of certain sur
veyng contracts THE TRIBUNE correspondent entered
Judge Durhams Office in time hear him say to the re-
porter OF an evening newspaper that the article in
TIE TRIBUNE Of to-day was full Of misstatements The
correspondent then made himself known. Controller
Durham betrayed extreme anxiety to know VINO hsd
furnished TRIBUNE with information and because MS
desire gratied he said he would not make any
statement Judge Durham's idea seemed to be, al
though he was pleasant In dcmeanor, that he had
q right to ascertain sources OF Information.
Perhaps that may be because the sources
OF information so closely guarded at present one
thing Controller Durham In many words admitted (;
three drafts charged in THE TRIBUNE, were Issued for
the payment of claims which had been already paid.
Judge Durham further said that these drafts or the pro-
ceeds of them had been already recovered and paid back
the Treasury There still seems to be discrepancy
as date and amount Of these drafts. Judge Durham
says the duplicate issue due TO an oversight
which had occurred before" Now there is pretty well
founded rumor in Treasury Department that draft
OF 81 600 has been under process of reclamation
very recently.
whether he had certified for payment
any account which had been rejected
az fraudulent By the General Land Office and notice OF
which rejection had reached his office he replied IN the
negative Now THE TRIBUNE correspondent prepared
to that the account OF Deputy Surveyor Charles
Hoeombe which rejected fraudulent OF which re-
lection holcombe and the Controller were both In
formed 10y means OF letter 10 er-Congress
"Phil" " Thompson, who was Holcombes at
torney, paid. The major part OF this claim
paid by warrant for S3,655 20 issued IN March.
1876. In his conversation with THE TRIBUNE CORE
spOndent today Judge Durham declared that lie never
bad received any warning from the Commissioner OF the
General Land Office in regard OF the accounts.
The records the Treasury Department would seem 10
Indicate that he had received no such warning
One OF the statements made In THE
TRIBUNE to-day was that the Controller
nearly 5000 when the account after investigation
BY special examiner OF the General Land once had
been reduced TO less than 81 900 Judge Durham was
ready TO make an explanation III regard 10 THIS
matter.
lnasmuch he that he had received warning
respect the California accounts he consider IL
inpertnen call his attention letter sent TO him
eral Land Oce ana 1t may be not amiss in this relation
call his attention to certain Treasury warrant NUM-
bered 1870 and dated July 23, 1856. for the sum or
S593S So Ia the relation he VIII no regard II as
Obtrusive that he look
warrant No 44IO and dated June 3. 1856 S47.305
or course. Controller Durham will he hereafter more con
cerned protecting the Interests oi the Government anu
stopping LEAKS IN his Office than in hndns out Where
The TRIBUNE obtains Its information lie said to-day
that he had made explanation wnch was satisfactory,
he believed TO the Secretary OF the Treasury aud tue
Secretary of the Interior and lie cDndesce nded
TO Intimate that he might he perhaps persuaded 10 make
staemsut for the benefit OF the readers OF The Tkl-
UNE 10 have occurred 10 Controller
Durham that anybody except the Secretary or the IreF
sury-and he only extreme occdslons-has rght 10
question his dicum. II a Republican Controller had
that he has every Democratic newspaper in the
broad land would have cried MIN down.